Scones with an Armenian Twist

The best scones Doug and I ever ate were the ones we had in London about 10 years ago. For about 50 cents apiece, we were able to pig-out on these tender, slightly sweet, perfectly baked delights with freshly brewed tea. Heavenly!


As soon as we returned from that trip, I began making scones with whatever dried fruits and nuts I happened to have on hand.


Here’s a recipe that would be perfect on Christmas morning – or any other morning. Hope you’ll like it!


Apricot – Pistachio Scones
Yield: 8 substantial scones


2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup light cream, divided

1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped

¼ cup chopped pistachio nuts


Directions:


1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. Using a pastry blender or a fork, cut-in the butter until the mixture is crumbly, about the size of small peas. Chill in the refrigerator about 10 minutes.

3. Add ¾ cup plus 2 Tbsp. of the light cream, the apricots and pistachio nuts, stirring until dry ingredients are moist. Dough will be a bit crumbly.

4. Place dough on a clean work surface, patting it down into a circle about ½ inch thick. Cut into 8 pie-shaped wedges.

5. Place the wedges on a lightly greased baking sheet so they are not touching.

6. Lightly brush the tops with remaining cream. Sprinkle tops with a little extra sugar, if desired.

7. Bake in a preheated 450°F oven for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.